Corpsman cement their place in blue-green team

Navy Corpsman HM3 Justin Beall, 23, of Sacramento, Calif., assigned to 1st Battalion, 9th Marines Camp Lejeune, explains how to use a compass and read a map and the parts of a map as part of his practical application in front of HM1 Roger Barnett assigned to 8th Marine Regiment and HM1 Andray Williams assigned to 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, who are members of the board, aboard Camp Lejeune recently. Compass and map-reading skills are requirements to achieve the Fleet Marine Force badge.

John Sudbrink / The Daily News

By Thomas Brennan Thomas.Brennan@JDNews.com

Published: Monday, June 16, 2014 at 09:03 AM.

For more than three hours, sailors voluntarily subjected themselves to a battery of tests hoping to prove to their Marines that they deserve to serve beside them.

For two U.S. Navy corpsman currently serving with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, the last year has been consumed by studying in hopes of earning their Fleet Marine Force Enlisted Specialist Device, or FMF pin. Eligibility is based on having served with any Marine unit for one year; passing the Marine Physical Fitness Test, or PFT; and passing a written test. Once the prerequisites are met, the corpsman must be “boarded” by senior enlisted sailors where they are evaluated as they perform and explain various tasks Marines are trained in.

“(The pin) is part of the legacy of being a corpsman,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Brown, 24, of Livermore, Calif. “We’re the ones … treating the Marines both in and out of combat. …They should have faith in their corpsman. …They should trust that we are proficient in treating them and that we understand the mission. …This is just one more way we prove they can trust us.”

The FMF pin is a silver metal device and consists of the eagle, globe and anchor of the Marine Corps resting atop a pair of crossed rifles while ocean swells breaking on a sandy beach make up the background. Upon successfully completing the board process, the corpsmen smiled as a fellow petty officer secured their FMF pins to the left breast of their uniforms. Once dismissed, the two corpsmen briefly looked down at their new pins, smiled and began joking about how their Marines “better be proud” of their accomplishment.

“Earning this was really difficult and it took a lot of practice,” said Brown, a line corpsman with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines. “ …Initially, what kept me motivated was remembering that I checked in and my peers all had their pin. …It’s a level of achievement I wanted to reach. …It distinguished you among your fellow sailors.”

When a sailor checks into a Marine unit for the first time, Brown said that the Marines expect a lot from them. Initially, until a sailor proves themselves, Marines often jokingly refer to them as a “squid;” but once they prove themselves, Brown said the Marines refer to them as “doc” and that’s how a corpsman knows they have earned their place among their Marines.

Performance evaluations ensure that corpsmen are capable of disassembling and assembling weapons such as the M4 carbine and M9 pistol, two weapons issued to corpsman within Marine units. They must also demonstrate they understand basic concepts of land navigation using a lensatic compass and that they can operate communications equipment used on a typical Marine operation.

“A lot of the sailors I have looked up to have earned their FMF pins; and because I want to achieve the same things as them, I knew this was something I had to do,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Justin Beall, 23, of Sacramento and a line corpsman with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines. “Earning this pin, I finally feel like I am an actual corpsman and that I deserve to be serving with the Marines.”

Once the corpsman passed their performance evaluations they recited the Sailor’s Creed and immediately began answering questions. Topics bounced from when deadly force is authorized to how to issue a patrol order. The sailors recited various details about infantry, tank, artillery and amphibious units before moving on to present their rights as a prisoner of war. Bouncing back and forth, the two sailors rattled off the mission statements of the Marine Rifle Squad, a Marine Expeditionary Brigade, a Marine Expeditionary Unit and a Marine Division.

One of the senior-enlisted sailors on the three-man evaluation board, Petty Officer First Class Andray Williams, said that during the sailors’ evaluations they were not only being evaluated on their comprehension and ability to apply the material, but also their tact, demeanor and professionalism.

“They took their own initiative to study the material and pursue earning their pins and they did so in less than half of the time they were given,” said Williams, 39, of Tampa, and a leading petty officer with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines. “These sailors, by earning this pin, are keeping the tradition alive. A lot of those before us …have earned the right to serve alongside Marines …and the fact that they are doing this to earn their own place among Marines is truly commendable.”

Corpsman attached to a Marine unit are not the only sailors eligible to earn a FMF pin. Naval officers such as, but not limited to, battalion and regimental medical officers may earn their Fleet Marine Force Officer Device and Navy chaplains may earn a Fleet Marine Force Chaplain Device. Religious programs specialists, who are sailors designated to assist chaplains, and sailors specializing in logistics within a Marine unit are also eligible to earn FMF pins.

“The Fleet Marine Force is not for everyone and being attached to (an infantry unit) is definitely not for everyone, both Marines and sailors,” Williams said. “It doesn’t matter where a corpsman comes from in the Navy because the first day they are with a Marine unit, they are expected to be able to do everything the Marines do.”

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For more than three hours, sailors voluntarily subjected themselves to a battery of tests hoping to prove to their Marines that they deserve to serve beside them.

For two U.S. Navy corpsman currently serving with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, the last year has been consumed by studying in hopes of earning their Fleet Marine Force Enlisted Specialist Device, or FMF pin. Eligibility is based on having served with any Marine unit for one year; passing the Marine Physical Fitness Test, or PFT; and passing a written test. Once the prerequisites are met, the corpsman must be “boarded” by senior enlisted sailors where they are evaluated as they perform and explain various tasks Marines are trained in.

“(The pin) is part of the legacy of being a corpsman,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Brown, 24, of Livermore, Calif. “We’re the ones … treating the Marines both in and out of combat. …They should have faith in their corpsman. …They should trust that we are proficient in treating them and that we understand the mission. …This is just one more way we prove they can trust us.”

The FMF pin is a silver metal device and consists of the eagle, globe and anchor of the Marine Corps resting atop a pair of crossed rifles while ocean swells breaking on a sandy beach make up the background. Upon successfully completing the board process, the corpsmen smiled as a fellow petty officer secured their FMF pins to the left breast of their uniforms. Once dismissed, the two corpsmen briefly looked down at their new pins, smiled and began joking about how their Marines “better be proud” of their accomplishment.

“Earning this was really difficult and it took a lot of practice,” said Brown, a line corpsman with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines. “ …Initially, what kept me motivated was remembering that I checked in and my peers all had their pin. …It’s a level of achievement I wanted to reach. …It distinguished you among your fellow sailors.”

When a sailor checks into a Marine unit for the first time, Brown said that the Marines expect a lot from them. Initially, until a sailor proves themselves, Marines often jokingly refer to them as a “squid;” but once they prove themselves, Brown said the Marines refer to them as “doc” and that’s how a corpsman knows they have earned their place among their Marines.

Performance evaluations ensure that corpsmen are capable of disassembling and assembling weapons such as the M4 carbine and M9 pistol, two weapons issued to corpsman within Marine units. They must also demonstrate they understand basic concepts of land navigation using a lensatic compass and that they can operate communications equipment used on a typical Marine operation.

“A lot of the sailors I have looked up to have earned their FMF pins; and because I want to achieve the same things as them, I knew this was something I had to do,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Justin Beall, 23, of Sacramento and a line corpsman with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines. “Earning this pin, I finally feel like I am an actual corpsman and that I deserve to be serving with the Marines.”

Once the corpsman passed their performance evaluations they recited the Sailor’s Creed and immediately began answering questions. Topics bounced from when deadly force is authorized to how to issue a patrol order. The sailors recited various details about infantry, tank, artillery and amphibious units before moving on to present their rights as a prisoner of war. Bouncing back and forth, the two sailors rattled off the mission statements of the Marine Rifle Squad, a Marine Expeditionary Brigade, a Marine Expeditionary Unit and a Marine Division.

One of the senior-enlisted sailors on the three-man evaluation board, Petty Officer First Class Andray Williams, said that during the sailors’ evaluations they were not only being evaluated on their comprehension and ability to apply the material, but also their tact, demeanor and professionalism.

“They took their own initiative to study the material and pursue earning their pins and they did so in less than half of the time they were given,” said Williams, 39, of Tampa, and a leading petty officer with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines. “These sailors, by earning this pin, are keeping the tradition alive. A lot of those before us …have earned the right to serve alongside Marines …and the fact that they are doing this to earn their own place among Marines is truly commendable.”

Corpsman attached to a Marine unit are not the only sailors eligible to earn a FMF pin. Naval officers such as, but not limited to, battalion and regimental medical officers may earn their Fleet Marine Force Officer Device and Navy chaplains may earn a Fleet Marine Force Chaplain Device. Religious programs specialists, who are sailors designated to assist chaplains, and sailors specializing in logistics within a Marine unit are also eligible to earn FMF pins.

“The Fleet Marine Force is not for everyone and being attached to (an infantry unit) is definitely not for everyone, both Marines and sailors,” Williams said. “It doesn’t matter where a corpsman comes from in the Navy because the first day they are with a Marine unit, they are expected to be able to do everything the Marines do.”